


Three-Chord Harmony

by predilection



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Epilogue, F/F, F/M, Multi, Softness, headcanon collection, in this show's context nice things happening to these characters is a power fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 06:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19245907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/predilection/pseuds/predilection
Summary: "Emu?" Poppy asks, raising her head. "What are you doing here so late?"Emu wants to ask them the same thing, but then it hits him: they have nowhere else to go.Or: Parado and Poppy move in with Emu.





	Three-Chord Harmony

**Author's Note:**

> It came to my attention that there were no fics for this OT3 posted here. I felt that I needed to remedy this immediately, so I strung my collection of post-series headcanons together into this story. These headcanons were inspired by the TV series ending, the second Another Ending, and the Parado HBV -- all of which portray Emu, Poppy and Parado as having an extremely close friendship.
> 
> The solfege concept is inspired by [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/758127) by Fahye.

**do**

It's after midnight when Emu's finally able to go home. He's just finished helping cover for a doctor on leave, and the only reason he stops by the CR office at all is because he left his backpack there earlier in the day. 

He isn't expecting the lights to still be on or the office to be occupied.

"Emu," Parado says excitedly when Emu climbs the stairs. He's lounging on the couch, his ankles crossed where they rest on the armrest. 

He's not the only one there though. Poppy is sitting at the table, bent over multiple textbooks. "Emu?" she asks, raising her head. "What are you doing here so late?"

He wants to ask them the same thing, but then it hits him: they have nowhere else to go.

It's not something he's given too much thought to before. Poppy, he knew, lived in her console, and Parado... well, he supposes that Genm Corp isn't as much of an option for him anymore.

"I came to get my bag," he replies, and walks over to where it's sitting on the floor next to the couch. Parado smiles at him as he hoists it over his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Emu," he says, smiling warmly.

"Goodnight. Travel safe!" Poppy adds, waving as he leaves.

The realization that the two of them are making a home out an office in the sub-basement of a hospital unsettles him. Emu can't stop thinking about it his entire trip home and as he gets ready for bed. It makes him so uncomfortable that he's barely able to sleep.

*

It's on his commute to the hospital the next morning that a solution comes to him. It's simple and sudden but it immediately quells the discomfort he's feeling. So after he finishes his shift and two hours of overtime, he makes his way down to the CR office. Sure enough, Parado and Poppy are there, except today Poppy is sitting at her console, textbooks pressed up against the screen, and Parado is seated at the desk with his handheld in his hands. 

Poppy's studying to be a doctor, he knows, and Parado has a job as a game tester for Gemn Corp. They're obviously working, but he sees no reason why they have to work here, not if they don't want to.

"Parado, Poppy," he says, getting their attention.

"Emu," Poppy says brightly. "Did you forget something again?"

Emu shakes his head. "I... I noticed that you both spend the night here." 

Parado sits up straighter. "Is that a problem?"

Emu frowns. "That's not..." He hesitates. What he's about to ask is not something to be taken lightly, but it still feels _right_ in a way he can't put into words. He hasn't been this sure about something in a long time. He takes a deep breath. "I was wondering if you wanted to stay with me instead."

There's a beat of silence. 

"In your apartment?" Poppy asks.

"Yeah. But only if you want to."

Poppy blinks at him, but Parado's face breaks out in a grin. "Emu," he says fondly, already pushing away from the table and bringing himself to his feet. "I would love to."

Emu can feel himself returning his smile as Poppy asks, "Are you sure? We don't want to intrude."

He thinks about the fact that they've been living in the office for weeks, and about how his apartment is quiet and lonely, especially at night. "It's no problem."

"Then I'd be happy to," she says, smiling now too.

*

His apartment isn't large, but it's not tiny either. It has a small bedroom, but the main room is spacious considering the living area and kitchen share the same space. Poppy and Parado explore it, taking in the books on his shelves, his Mighty merchandise, and his collection of gaming systems. 

He tells them to make themselves at home while he cooks himself dinner. He offers to make them some too, but they wave him off and remind him that they don't need to eat. Poppy changed into her Karino Asuna form for the commute, but by the time he's finished his meal, she's is back in her true form and has unpacked her textbooks across from Emu at the table. Parado, though, is still going through his game collection.

"Emu, you have Mighty Action Party!" he says, jumping to his feet and holding up the cartridge. "We should play!"

It's a work night, but it's too early to go to bed, and Emu likes the idea of playing with Parado more than reviewing medical journals or watching videos on his phone to get his mind off his day. "Sure," he says. "Poppy, you should join us."

The three of them are a tight fit on his couch. Their thighs and shoulders are almost touching, so when Poppy laughs so hard at Parado's antics that she bends over, her hand pressed to her chest, her hair brushes against his arm. Something calm and content settles over him then and he knows, even more so now, that this was the right decision to make.

*

"What are you doing?" Emu asks when he notices Poppy packing up her books the next morning.

"We have work," she says.

"Yeah, but you don't have to..." He rubs the back of his neck. He thought he was clear. "You both can stay here."

She blinks at him, a crease appearing between her brows as she studies his face. Behind her, Parado has paused the game he's playing, the controller resting on his thighs as he stares over at Emu with a similarly perplexed expression. "What do you mean?" he asks.

"When I asked if you wanted to stay with me... it wasn't just for a night. You can stay as long as you want."

Poppy blinks at him some more. "Oh," she says and she turns around to share a look with Parado.

"Really?" Parado asks, and there's something small and hopeful and almost pleading in his expression that makes Emu's chest clench. "You'd be okay with that? With us?"

Emu swallows and it feels like a bigger deal than he imagined it would be when he replies, "Of course."

*

 

**re**

Sometimes he thinks that inviting two people to live with him should've been an upheaval, but it's anything but. 

What changes is this: When he leaves his bedroom after being woken up by his alarm, two people wish him a good morning and ask him how he slept. Poppy takes the train with him to work and sometimes back, even though she could teleport to and from the hospital. Parado almost always welcomes them home. They play games together every night after dinner.

His apartment doesn't feel lonely anymore.

Still, he isn't expecting it when he comes home by himself late one night to Poppy welcoming him inside and exclaiming, "We made you dinner!"

She's wearing a pink apron but Parado is the one standing at the counter, using chopsticks to move grilled fish over to a bed of rice. He smiles at Emu and says, "We know you had a long day, so we wanted to make sure you didn't have to cook too."

Emu stares at them, taken aback by this gesture of kindness, even as his face splits into a grin.

Poppy and Parado join him at the kitchen table. They eat with him for the first time, picking at their own pieces of fish as they tell him how they've been researching cooking, and how Parado went grocery shopping in the afternoon, and Emu has to duck his head to keep them from noticing how glassy his eyes have become.

*

The next day, there's also a meal waiting for him when he gets home. And the day after too. For the next week, dinner is always made, even on the days he leaves with Poppy, with Parado cooking for them both.

So on Sunday, his day off, he asks Parado and Poppy if they want to go out to eat. They protest him spending money on them eating of all things, but after he points out that Parado has been paying for his meals all week, they relent.

They go into town, and he takes them to his favorite okonomiyaki place and then, afterwards, to a cafe. Poppy takes great delight in the pastry she tries, so he encourages her try multiple items off the menu. Parado joins in the taste testing, and it's how he learns that Parado prefers more savory foods like he does, while Poppy seems to especially enjoy sweets.

The following Sunday, Emu makes them dinner, and the Sunday a week after, he takes them to another restaurant. Soon it becomes a tradition that every Sunday either Emu is the one who cooks for them or the one to treat them when they go out to eat together.

*

 

**mi**

Not long after they move in, he asks them if they want anything -- if there's any items he can get to make them more comfortable. They haven't brought much with them. That's not a surprise since they don't have much, but Emu wants to change that.

Parado shrugs, seemingly indifferent. Poppy, however, sheepishly asks if they can go clothing shopping. Emu notices her hesitancy, and when he asks, she explains that it feels frivolous to buy clothing if she can change her appearance at will.

So when Emu takes her shopping, he makes sure to encourage her to enter the stores that catch her eye and try on the clothing she likes. She still seems uncomfortable though, and Emu compliments the cute outfits she picks and helps her find other sizes when something doesn't end up fitting. By the third store, she starts to relax, a bounce in her step as she goes through racks of clothing, and he's happy to buy her the items she decides on.

At the end of the day, as they head back towards the train carrying the bags containing their purchases, Poppy hooks her arm with his, grinning up at him as she tells him, "Thank you, Emu."

*

They go shopping again a month later, though this time, she also starts picking out clothing she thinks he would like. At a used clothing store, she finds him a vintage Mighty t-shirt that he immediately loves and a new jacket too -- white with pink and green detailing.

She also picks up a purple t-shirt with a design made up of abstract pink, yellow and blue lines on the front and holds it up for him to see. "Don't you think this would suit Parado?" 

The colors remind him of Parado's pants so he's onboard with buying it along with all her other finds, but when he goes to pay, Poppy waves him away and takes out a pink wallet he's never seen her carry before. "The Ministry started giving me a stipend," she explains.

"They have?"

She hums, nodding. "They set up my new bank account yesterday. Director Hinata called it well-deserved back pay." She winks at him, and as they leave the shop, she explains that both she and Parado will be getting identification soon too, officially allowing them to live human lives.

A tension Emu didn't even know he was holding seeps out of his shoulders. He worries about her, and Parado too, finding a place in this world of humans, and this time he's the one who links his arm with hers.

*

 

**fa**

Pediatrics is so busy that Emu doesn't get a chance to even sit down until well into the afternoon, and when he finally is able get away long enough to visit his desk, he's surprised to find Parado standing outside his office door. The first thing Emu notices is that he's wearing the shirt Poppy bought for him over black jeans. The second thing Emu notices is that he's holding up a wrapped bento as he smiles at Emu.

Emu feels his cheeks heat. "You didn't have to bring me lunch."

Parado scoffs. "Poppy told me you're so busy these days that you're getting your lunches from vending machines."

Emu winces, but he lets Parado into his office, and he feels his face heat more as Parado unpacks the bento on Emu's desk, heedless of the paperwork covering it, and explains all the different foods he made just for Emu to enjoy.

*

At the end of the month, Poppy has exams to write. Parado suggests that they get her something to cheer her on, and it's Parado that tells him about the stationary shop he discovered while out grocery shopping. 

It's there that they find a pastel pink pencil case they both immediately agree suits Poppy perfectly. They get her a set of rainbow-colored pencils, pens and erasers to go with it, as well as a cute keychain with a charm of a smiling treble clef.

When they put the wrapped package down next to her textbooks that night, she gazes up at them, confused, but when she opens it, and they explain why they bought it for her, she jumps out of her seat, her arms catching them both and pulling them in for a hug.

*

On one of the evenings Poppy is out, Emu takes Parado to the arcade. Parado's face lights up and, in his excitement, he grabs Emu by the wrist and tugs him towards the games he wants them to play.

It's fun to play against Parado, but it's even more fun to play alongside him. They're both skilled gamers, he knows, but it still surprises him how quickly they beat the highest recorded score at the arcade when they play Shakariki Sports. They even start attracting a crowd when they move on to playing the co-op mode on Gekitotsu Robots, but Emu pays them little mind, too focused on how good it feels to play with Parado at his side, and the gleeful, excited noises Parado is making as they get closer and closer to the final boss.

*

 

**so**

He comes home one day to find Poppy's console in the corner of the living room next to the television.

"Parado picked it up for me today," she explains. "I figured it was time I brought it home."

The word "home" has Emu sucking in a breath as much as the sight of the console. 

Neither of them seem to notice his reaction though. Parado spins a familiar yellow cartridge around his index finger. "This seems like a good night to play DoReMiFa Beat," he suggests, and after dinner, the three of them crowd onto the couch, Poppy singing along as they play.

*

Emu loves playing games with them, so much so that he keeps pushing back his bedtime just so that they can have more time together. One of them always notices though, and reminds him that he needs his rest.

Returning to his bedroom knowing Poppy and Parado are still having fun makes him happy more than anything. He likes knowing that they're enjoying each other's company. Though sometimes his room feels dark and empty, and he can't help wish he could enjoy their company a little longer.

*

One morning, he opens his bedroom door to the sight of Parado lying on his back on the couch with legs bend upwards and his head in Poppy's lap. He's playing his handheld, and Poppy is absentmindedly running her fingers through his hair as she reads something on her tablet.

They both turn towards him as he steps into the room, and in unison, they say, "Good morning, Emu!"

*

He works four hours overtime three days in a row, and he's bone-deep exhausted by the time he gets home. He's so grateful for the warm welcome he receives when he opens his apartment door, and for the food that's waiting for him. He's also grateful for how happy he feels when he settles down with them on the couch to play some games before bed.

His eyelids are heavy though, and the next thing he knows he's waking to Parado's hand on his arm. "Emu," he says softly. "You need to go to bed."

He's leaning against Parado's side, he notices, using his shoulder as a pillow, and he can feel where Poppy's legs are pressed against his on his other side. He's warm and comfortable, so he closes his eyes. "I'll sleep here," he says, but Parado is gently pushing him away from him and standing up. Emu groans at the sudden absence of his pillow and Parado pulls him to his feet and coaxes him towards the bedroom.

He's already half-dozing as Parado tucks him into bed, but Emu can't help but smile at how gentle his hands are. "You could stay here with me," he tells him, not really awake or cognizant of what he's saying. He doesn't hear if Parado replies, his eyes slipping closed again a moment later.

*

He falls asleep on his commute home once. It's after another long string of days of being overworked, and he wakes at the stop before theirs to find that he's slumped against Poppy side. He startles and straightens, not because he minds this kind of close proximity to her but because he doesn't like sleeping on the train.

Poppy looks away from the book in her hands to smile at him, and he blinks back at her, frozen, struck by the sudden urge to kiss her.

*

 

**la**

As fall turns to winter, Emu brings up the idea of them going on a vacation someplace warm. He and Poppy have been granted extra days off by Director Hinata as thanks for their help earlier in the year, and he wants Poppy and Parado to see more of Japan and the world than just Seito.

Poppy and Parado are enthusiastic about the idea. Parado, so much so, that he asks to make the arrangements. 

A month later, the three of them are sitting together on the train on their way to Okinawa, Poppy and Parado never making it a question of whether or not they'll join him on the journey. Their faces are pressed to the windows as they take in the rapidly changing scenery, and they're so enthralled that Emu vows, there and then, that they'll have to travel more often in the future.

*

They explore the neighborhood around their hotel before dinner, Poppy buying all three of them sunhats, and after dinner, they walk along the beach. Emu takes in the sights and sounds of the ocean, at the same time he watches Poppy chase Parado, giddy with laughter.

It isn't until they return to the hotel Parado booked for the night that Emu realizes that their room only contains a desk and a single bed. 

His first thought is of Poppy and Parado. "Don't worry about keeping me awake," he tells them. "I want you to enjoy your night." He thinks about it some more. "You can go out and see more of the town if you'd like. You don't have to wait for me," he suggests.

Before he falls asleep, he sees them teleport out of the room, but when he wakes up in the still-dark hours of the morning, Poppy is at the desk, quietly working on her laptop and Parado is sitting on the edge of the bed with his handheld. The room is dark, and Emu can only make them out by the light coming from their electronics.

Parado turns to him, as if sensing that he's awake. "Did we wake you?" he asks softly.

Emu shakes his head, and reaches for the lamp on the side table, switching it on so that a warm glow fills the room.

"You don't have to sit in the dark," he says, something uncomfortable and heavy in his throat.

"We didn't want to disturb you," Poppy says.

He runs a hand through his hair. "You're not disturbing me. You staying with me..." He opens his mouth, closes it, and then tries again. "I like that you're here. I just... want you to be happy."

Parado's brow furrows like he's confused. "We are happy."

Poppy nods. "We like staying with you."

"Then keep the lights on and talk if you want to. I don't like you sacrificing your comfort for my sake." Emu feels a smile tug at his lips. "Do what makes you happy."

*

When Emu wakes next, the lamp is still on and Poppy is now sitting next to Parado at the end of the bed, their backs to Emu. Their sides are pressed together, her head on his shoulder, and Parado is showing her the game he's currently testing for the handheld, quietly explaining to her how the game is being produced.

Emu listens to them with his eyes closed, the sound of their voices soothing, and he thinks it would be nice to lean against Parado's other side.

"Emu?" he thinks he hears Parado ask but he can't tell if he's dreaming so he doesn't answer. He thinks that maybe Parado says his name again, but then he's asleep again.

*

Their last night there, it's as he comes out of the bathroom in his pyjamas that Parado says, "Emu, there's something we want to talk to you about." He's standing between Emu and the bed, Poppy at his side.

Before he can ask a question, Poppy says, "Remember when you asked us to do what makes us happy?"

He nods.

"Well, we've been talking about it." She shares a look with Parado. "And there's something we both want."

"It's something I think you want too," Parado tells him.

"Okay," Emu says, hoping it's something he can provide for them. "What is it?"

Parado grins. "I think it would be easier if we showed you."

They share another look, and then Poppy is stepping in front of him, a shy smile on her face as she looks up at him through her lashes. Before he knows what's happening, she rises up on her tip toes to press a chaste kiss against his mouth. Her feet are flat against the ground a moment later, but Emu feels off-kilter suddenly, like he might fall down. He stares at her with wide eyes, not fully comprehending what just happened.

As he's still processing, she turns on her heel to face Parado and rises up to kiss him the same way. Parado grins down at her after their lips part and then all of a sudden, Parado's the one standing in front of Emu, bending down to capture his lips in a kiss. It's soft, and like when Poppy kissed him, it's a simple press of lips. 

Emu blinks as Parado pulls back, his heart is fluttering in his chest like it's trying to escape, as it finally hit him what they're trying to tell him

"So what do you say?" Parado asks, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

A laugh bubbles up out of Emu's throat and his body shakes from the force of it. He almost can't believe it. It's everything he's wanted but didn't think he could even ask for.

In answer, he reaches up, taking Parado's face in his hands. He pulls him down and kisses him back. This kiss is less chaste, Emu trying to show his feelings through the press of his mouth and the way he cards his fingers through Parado's hair. Parado looks dazed when they part and Emu laughs again, giddy, as he reaches for Poppy. She meets him halfway, her mouth opening under his, and Emu smiles against her lips.

*

Emu ends up lying between them in the bed, Poppy nestled against his chest and Parado pressed up against his back, one of his arms resting over them both, holding them close.

It's content and comfortable and it feels right, just like asking them to move in did -- just like everything with them does. Emu closes his eyes, reveling in their warmth and love and the way his heart feels full.

*

 

**ti**

Emu's bed back in their apartment is much smaller than the one that was in the hotel. Still, they make it work, and the first time the three of them crawl into it together, it's Poppy who's in the center, both him and Parado showering her with the affection she desires and the love she deserves.

It's good, really good, and he comes home a week later to find a much larger bed taking up almost the entirety of the floorspace in his bedroom. The sheets are new too -- pink with different-colored neon shapes all over them.

"I picked out the bed and Poppy chose the bedding," Parado tells him. He has to admit, he appreciates the extra space and what it means that they did this.

Parado and Poppy don't spent their entire nights with him, but they all go to bed together when they can, and Parado and Poppy make it their mission to cuddle in close to him before his alarm has a chance to sound in the mornings so he never wakes up alone. 

*

It's not long afterwards that Parado suggests they move. "We have three incomes," he points out. "We could get a bigger apartment."

Emu's apartment is cozy, but it's been feeling smaller and smaller lately, and they've outgrown it. Poppy wants more closet space, and Parado has mentioned that he wants a bigger kitchen to work in. They've talked about having an office, and Emu likes the idea of them having more space in a place they spend so much of their time.

It's Poppy who finds the new apartment. It's large and well-lit. It's been recently renovated with new hardwood floors and a kitchen that makes Parado runs his hands over the countertops reverently. It also has two bedrooms, a studio, and a living room with floor to ceiling windows with a beautiful view overlooking the river.

"Can we even afford this?" Emu asks when they go for a viewing, his eyes wide as he takes in it all in.

Parado ignores him and instead asks the agent, "When can we move in?"

*

 

**do**

As they lie in their bed together on their first night in the new place, Emu thinks about how home isn't just a place, and how Parado and Poppy aren't the only ones who've found one. He has a new one too, and it's more than he could've ever asked for.


End file.
